Creeping rose plant named &#39;Meilowmye&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Creeping rose plant, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Meilowmye’, is provided which forms in abundance on a nearly continuous basis attractive, cup-shaped, flowers that are yellow colored in the course of opening and salmon colored when completely open. Attractive, semi-glossy foliage is formed and the plant is healthy, compact, and low. The tolerance to disease is good, particularly with respect to black spot. The new variety is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Latin name—Rosa hybrida.

Common name—Creeping Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination—‘Meilowmye’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Creeping rose plant of the present invention was created by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the new variety was the product of the cross of the ‘Meijeunom’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,143) and the ‘Meiglise’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,960). The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘Meibalneo’ variety (non-patented in the United States).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:

(‘Meijeunom’ x ‘Meiglise’) x ‘Meibalneo’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Creeping rose plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) displays a healthy, compact, and low plant,     -   (b) exhibits a yellow coloration of the flower in the course of         opening to a salmon coloration once completely open,     -   (c) blooming is early in the season and is very abundant and         nearly continuous,     -   (d) shows a good tolerance to disease, particularly with respect         to black spot, and     -   (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, while the new variety has flowers that are yellow to salmon in coloration, the ‘Meijeunom’ variety displays ivory-white colored flowers, the ‘Meiglise’ variety displays white flowers, and the (‘Meijeunome’ x ‘Meiglise’) variety (i.e., the seed parent) displays white flowers. Further, the ‘Meibalneo’ variety (i.e., the pollen parent) typically has more than 90 petals per flower, while the new variety has 32 petals per flower, on average.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France by a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and the rooting of cuttings. Asexual propagation by the above-mentioned techniques in France has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘Meilowmye’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, typical specimens of the new variety. The illustrated rose plants of the new variety were approximately two years of age and were observed during July while budded on their own roots and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France. Dimensions in centimeters are indicated at the bottom of the photograph. Standard color information is included at the bottom of the photograph.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a young shoot.

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of the sepals.

FIG. 3—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of the sepals.

FIG. 4—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening to the petals.

FIG. 5—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening.

FIG. 6—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening—plan view—obverse.

FIG. 7—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening—plan view—reverse.

FIG. 8—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening—plan view—obverse.

FIG. 9—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening—plan view—reverse.

FIG. 10—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—obverse.

FIG. 11—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—reverse.

FIG. 12—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing arrangement of the stamens and pistils.

FIG. 13—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing arrangement of the pistils (stamens removed).

FIG. 14—illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem.

FIG. 15—illustrates a specimen of a main branch.

FIG. 16—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with 3 leaflets—plan view—upper surface.

FIG. 17—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with 5 leaflets—plan view—under surface.

FIG. 18—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with 7 leaflets—plan view—upper surface.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2001 Edition), London, England. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The description is based on the observation of two-year-old specimens of the new variety during July while budded on their own roots and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

-   Class: Creeping. -   Plant:     -   -   Habit.—Creeping.         -   Height.—Approximately near 30 to 50 cm on average.         -   Spread.—Approximately near 50 to 70 cm on average. -   Branches:     -   -   Color.—Commonly near Green Group 138 A on young stems and on             adult wood.         -   Thorns.—No thorns observed. -   Foliage:     -   -   General appearance.—Very dense with a semi-glossy aspect.         -   Number of leaflets.—3, 5, and 7; most often 5 or 7.         -   Terminal leaflet.—Length: approximately 4 cm on average. —             width: approximately 2.4 cm on average.         -   New foliage.—Upper surface color commonly near Green Group             138A. — under surface color commonly near Green Group 138B.             — anthocyanin coloration: moderate intensity and commonly             near Red Group 46A.         -   Old foliage.—Upper surface color commonly near Green Group             137A. — under surface color commonly near Green Group 138A. -   Leaflets:     -   -   Shape.—Generally oval shaped with an acuminate tip and an             obtuse base.         -   Texture.—Leathery.         -   Edge.—Slightly denticulate.         -   Serration.—Small and single.         -   Undulation of margin.—Absent to weak.         -   Rachis.—Color of upper surface: commonly near Yellow Green             Group 147D. — color of under surface: commonly near Green             Group 138A.         -   Petioles.—Upper surface texture: no glandular. — under             surface texture: few prickles. — color of upper surface:             commonly near Green Group 137A. — color of under surface:             commonly near Green Group 138A. — petiole length of terminal             leaflet: near 1.5 cm on average.         -   Stipules.—General appearance: adnate, pectinate, and narrow.             — length: near 1.2 cm on average. — width: near 0.4 cm on             average. — color of upper surface: commonly near Yellow             Green Group 147C. — color of under surface: commonly near             Green Group 138A. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Number of flowers per stem.—Commonly 5 to 15 blossoms per             stem.         -   Flower type.—Panicle.         -   Buds.—Shape: conical. — size: small. — length: approximately             1 cm on average. — width: approximately 0.8 cm on average. —             color as calyx breaks, upper and under surfaces: commonly             near Yellow Group 13B slightly suffused with near Orange             Group 24B.         -   Sepals.—Length: approximately 1.4 cm on average. — width:             near 0.6 cm on average. — shape: slightly elongated at the             top and upright at the base. — extension: very weak. — upper             surface texture: pubescent. — upper surface color commonly             near Green Group 138C. — under surface texture: smooth. —             under surface color commonly near Green Group 138B and             anthocyanin coloration near Greyed Orange Group 173A.         -   Receptacle.—Color commonly near Green Group 138B. — length:             approximately 0.5 cm on average. — width: approximately 0.3             cm on average. — surface: smooth. — shape: funnel shaped.         -   Peduncle.—Length: near 3 to 3.5 cm on average. — width:             approximately 0.2 cm on average. — surface: glandular. —             color commonly near Green Group 138B and anthocyanin             coloration near Greyed Orange Group 173A.         -   Flower.—Average open size: typically near 5 cm to 7 cm. —             shape: cup shaped. — number of petals: commonly 32 on             average. — shape of petal: cuneiform at the base and rounded             at the top. — texture of the petal: flexible. — petal             length: approximately 2.4 cm on average. — petal width:             approximately 1.1 cm on average. — petal undulation: very             weak to weak. — petal arrangement: imbricated without             petaloids. — petal drop: petals drop off cleanly before             drying. — basal petal spot: none observed. — fragrance:             none. — color at the begin of the opening on upper surface:             commonly near Yellow Group 13B slightly suffused with near             Yellow Orange Group 24B. — color at the begin of the opening             on the under surface: commonly near Yellow Group 13B             slightly suffused with near Yellow Orange Group 24B and             sometimes few petals are streaked with near Red Group 53D. —             color when opening on upper surface: commonly near Yellow             Group 8B. — color when opening on under surface: commonly             near Yellow Group 8B and sometimes few petals are streaked             with near Red Group 53D, which depends on exposure. — color             of the open flower on upper surface: commonly near Yellow             White Group 158D more or less suffused and margined with             near Red Group 36B to Red Group 36C. — color of open flower             on under surface: commonly near Yellow White Group 158D             suffused and margined with Red Group 36B to Red Group 36C,             and sometimes few petals are streaked with near Red Group             53D, which depends on exposure. — fading: no change in color             designation of the opened flower when fading. — anthers:             number is approximately 60 on average, length is             approximately 0.1 cm on average, coloration is commonly near             Orange Group 24C, and arrangement is regular around styles.             — filaments: length is approximately 0.2 cm on average, and             coloration is commonly near Yellow Group 2D. — styles:             number is approximately 35 on average, length is             approximately 0.3 cm on average, and coloration is commonly             near Yellow Green Group 150D. — stigmas: size is             approximately 0.1 cm on average and coloration is commonly             near Yellow Green Group 150D. — seeds: approximately 1 to 3             seeds per fruit, shape is oblong, color is commonly near             Greyed Orange Group 163C, diameter is approximately 0.3 to             0.4 cm on average, and length is approximately 0.3 to 0.5 cm             on average. — pollen: not available at this stage. -   Development:     -   -   Vegetation.—Strong.         -   Hardiness zone.—Zone 5.         -   Blooming.—Early in the season, very abundant and nearly             continuous from early in May to October.         -   Lastingness of individual flower.—Commonly 6 to 10 days.         -   Tolerance to diseases.—Good, and particularly against black             spot (Diplocarpon rosae).

Plants of the ‘Meilowmye’ variety have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Creeping rose plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) displays a healthy, compact, and low plant, (b) exhibits a yellow coloration of the flower in the course of opening to a salmon coloration once completely open, (c) blooming is early in the season and is very abundant and nearly continuous, (d) shows a good tolerance to disease, particularly with respect to black spot, and (e) is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation; substantially as herein shown and described. 